Weekly CO report

District 1 – Baudette area

Last updated: 2024-07-01

CO Ben Huener (Roseau) taught at the CO Academy at Camp Ripley and helped with the Greenbush ATV safety training. Assistance was given to DNR Wildlife with goose banding in Warroad.

CO Tony Hams (Warroad North) spent the week checking area anglers, monitoring ATV traffic, and following up with various complaints. Violations encountered were juvenile operation of an ATV, allowing illegal operation, driving after revocation, angling without a license, and no license in possession.

CO Coby Fontes (Warroad South) spent the week patrolling Lake of the Woods and the Beltrami Island State Forest. Enforcement action was taken for improper safety equipment onboard a boat. Fontes also handled a nuisance-bear complaint, which was one of many he has received so far this season. Fontes is happy to report the lady slippers in the area are in full bloom, with both showy (pink) and yellow lady slippers being spotted.

CO Nicholas Prachar (Baudette West) worked angling and ATV activity. Prachar assisted Lake of the Woods and Koochiching counties with calls for service, including domestic disturbances.

CO Jeremy Woinarowicz (Thief River Falls West) instructed at the CO Academy, monitored ATV activity, and patrolled area lakes this past week. Enforcement action for the week included insufficient PFDs, no fire extinguisher, no helmet on a juvenile ATV passenger, and ATV-registration violations.

CO Nick Bruesewitz (Karlstad) spent the week monitoring angling and boating activity on the Red Lake River and Lake Bronson. Time was spent working ATV activity as well throughout the area. Enforcement action was taken for various boating and ATV-related violations.

CO Brice Vollbrecht (Blackduck North) monitored angling and boating activity on Upper Red Lake. The bite has been sporadic and changes daily with the weather conditions. An individual was cited for an overlimit of walleyes after being observed angling with two lines. The Region 1 summer intern rode with one day. Time was spent talking to individuals about nuisance bears.

Baudette East vacant.

Weekly CO report

District 2 – Bemidji area

Last updated: 2024-07-01

CO Andrew Ladzinski (Bemidji #1) spent time following up on calls for service and patrolling ATV trails. He assisted Beltrami County deputies on various calls. Enforcement action was taken for expired ATV registration, no helmet use on an ATV, careless operation of an ATV, and no spotter on board watercraft while towing.

CO Andrew Goodman (Perham) responded to a variety of calls and complaints this week. Water-related recreation has steadily increased along with native aquatic plant removal. A flight with a CO pilot revealed potential public water violations, which will be investigated in the coming weeks.

CO Jake Swedberg (Detroit Lakes) patrolled area lakes and ATV trails this weekend. Many people were out enjoying the nice weather, and most were law-abiding. Swedberg continues to patrol area county roads for ATV activity and has received numerous complaints about juveniles operating without helmets and in other unsafe ways. Parents are reminded that all children need to have DOT-approved helmets on/in all types of ATVs or off-highway motorcycles.

CO Jordan Anderson (Osage) spent most of the week instructing alcohol enforcement at the CO Academy. Time was also spent on boating and fishing enforcement.

CO Angie Warren (Mahnomen) spent time on angling and boating activity. AIS inspections were performed. Area ATV trails were patrolled. Information was provided about nuisance bears and boating regulations. Questions about leech trapping on White Earth were also answered.

CO Brady Manteufel (Bagley) followed up on public waters and wetland violations and patrolled for ATV activity. Enforcement action was taken for driving an ATV with no lights on. ATV lights always need to be on when operated. Problem-bear calls were addressed, along with boat and angling checks.

CO Jamus Veit (Bemidji #2) spent the week checking area anglers, monitoring ATV activity, and handling nuisance-bear complaints. Training was conducted with a DNR Intern and Itasca Park rangers. Enforcement action was taken for a sunfish overlimit, ATV and watercraft expired registration, ATV youth helmet required, and ATV operation prohibited.

CO William Landmark (Moorhead) spent the week following up on various nuisance- or injured-animal calls, investigating shoreline-violation complaints, and checking anglers. Time was also spent on ATV enforcement and commercial minnow enforcement activities. Enforcement action was taken for trap tampering and failure to attach identification to a trap.

Pelican Rapids vacant.

Weekly CO report

District 3 – Fergus Falls area

Last updated: 2024-07-01

CO Hanna Wood (Fergus Falls) continued to help with the CO Academy. With the busy holiday week coming up, she would like to remind people to take extra precautions when it comes to safety. Wear your life jackets, helmets, engine cut-off devices, or whatever safety feature you have on whatever recreational vehicle you?re going to be using. Lastly, don?t be the reason that this is someone?s last holiday don?t mix alcohol with operation.

CO Tricia Plautz (Henning) assisted local authorities in the search for a missing individual. Several injured- or sick-deer complaints were handled. An aquatic vegetation complaint is under investigation and an investigation of high-powered rifle shots fired in the middle of the night is being investigated.

CO Ryan Brown (Elbow Lake) focused most of his enforcement effort on boating and angling. Time was also spent with injured-animal calls and equipment maintenance.

CO Shane Osborne (Evansville) responded to complaints regarding fishing and dogs chasing wild animals south of Battle Lake. ATV-violation and commercial minnow dealer investigations continued throughout the week. Injured-animal complaints were received, and information was given to reporting parties.

CO Jake Homan (Alexandria) spent the week patrolling Douglas County. Time was spent patrolling area lakes for angling and recreational boating activity. The continued drastic changes in weather have affected the number of people on the water. Two days were spent helping at the DNR Academy for officer water survival training.

CO Felicia Znajda (Osakis) spent time this week focusing on angling and ATV activity. She received several wounded-animal calls and trespassing complaints. The few people who were brave enough to battle the winds Saturday had lots of fish in the buckets. She reports a dramatic change in the weather. Still, fishing reports for Sunday, with the sun shining and low winds, were poor. Various violations were encountered throughout the week.

CO Emily Douvier (Morris) reports working fishing, boating, and recreational enforcement. Assistance was also given to the local Sheriff’s Office. A local FAS class is being planned and anyone in the area is encouraged to reach out to her if you?d like to register your child as the class is filling up fast.

CO Daniel Baumbarger (Glenwood) reports enforcement efforts for the week were concentrated on checking fishermen and boaters. Additional time was spent patrolling for ATV operators and handling nuisance animal complaints.

Wheaton vacant.

Weekly CO report

District 4 – Walker area

Last updated: 2024-07-01

CO Corey Sura (Remer) patrolled angling activity on Upper Red Lake, Leech Lake, and other area waters. Time was also spent focused on ATV enforcement. Enforcement action was taken for fishing without a license, and insufficient number of PFDs.

CO Jacque Johnson (Longville) spoke at a firearms safety class and followed up on a restoration order. She also investigated trap tampering and took nuisance-bear reports.

CO Michael Cross (Lake George) worked angling, boating, and off-highway vehicle enforcement. Nuisance-bear complaints were taken, and multiple questions were fielded. Enforcement action was taken for boating, ATV/OHM, and fishing violations.

CO Nick Baum (Park Rapids) patrolled the area for recreational off-road vehicle traffic. With the recent rain and trail conditions not being dusty, Baum found many riders enjoying the trails. Baum took enforcement action for various ATV and OHM violations. Baum wants to remind riders to review required safety equipment for ATV and OHM operation.

CO Landyn Saewert (Wadena) spent time patrolling for ATV activity and checking anglers on local lakes. He also fielded multiple calls about nuisance bears. A bear had been hanging around a residence where small children reside. The homeowner attempted to scare the bear away as it was attempting to enter a garage. The bear was not alarmed by human interaction. The homeowner dispatched the bear, and the bear was given to a local family for consumption.

CO Mark Mathy (Cass Lake) primarily checked anglers and recreational vehicles. Problem-bear complaints continue to come in and a raccoon complaint was investigated. Mathy also spent time preparing materials for CO Academy training and attending meetings related to the new licensing system.

ATV rec officer vacant.